


After the War

by himynameisrandomname



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Bisexual Harry Potter, Drarry, Fluff and Angst, Gay Draco Malfoy, Hogwarts Eighth Year, M/M, Past Draco Malfoy/Blaise Zabini, Past Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, past Harry Potter/Charlie Weasley - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-10
Updated: 2019-06-10
Packaged: 2020-04-24 07:22:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19168510
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/himynameisrandomname/pseuds/himynameisrandomname
Summary: After the war, Harry returns to Hogwarts to pursue his NEWTS so he can begin his career as an auror. When Draco Malfoy enters his life, he realizes life has more potential than it ever did before.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! This is my first Drarry fic, but I have been reading a lot of really amazing fics. I basically wanted to combine all my favorite tropes (Draco learning to conjure a patronus, Draco and Harry being Hogwarts roommates, Harry being really hot (lol), etc.) into a fic, so let's see how this goes. Ideas are welcome, so if you see any tropes that you like, comment below. By the way, if you have read any of my other fics (if you haven't, please don't - I wrote them years ago and they are pretty bad lmao), there have been a few comments that I should continue them, but it's been so long that I'm kind of unsure so comment below if you think I should (but I don't even know where to start or what to do with them, so I may not).

Draco sat in the cold hard chair, clenching and unclenching his clammy fists to try to return some feeling to his extremities. He felt marginally grateful towards Granger's attempt at judicial reform, as it meant his arms were not chained to this chair, however as the war had freshly ended, she had not been able to accomplish too much. Above him swirled countless Dementors, filling him with a cold, hollow feeling and making his focus on how guilty he truly was, despite his best efforts to think positively. He knew the trial would not go in his favor, and had almost begged his lawyer to let him plead guilty and just let him rot in Azkaban with his father, but he decided to try for his mother, who was also on trial, but for less severe charges. The jury was comprised of high ranking Ministry officials due to his position as a Death Eater in the Dark Lord's inner circle, which stacked the odds against him as they needed scapegoats to punish after the war. They were shielded by beautiful silvery Patronuses of different shapes and sizes, concentrating all of the Dementors energies upon him. Fatigue had spread throughout his body, and he was forced to relive his darkest memories, making him feel a burst of shame for how he had made for of Potter back at Hogwarts. 

Another reform Granger had pushed but failed at was the administration of Veritaserum in cases with high charges. Draco had mixed feelings about this - while there were obviously things he would prefer to keep private and while he wanted to retain some control over his words, he appreciated that there would at least be no doubt towards his honesty, for better or for worse. 

He forced himself to focus as the prosecutor turned her attention to him, a grim look on her face. 

"Please state your full name and age to the court."

"My name is Draco Lucius Malfoy, and I am 18 years old."

"When did you take the Dark Mark, and under what circumstances?" She asked him. 

"I took it the summer before my sixth year at Hogwarts. I had been sitting in my room in the Manor, when I was called down by the Dark Lord. After my father's failure in the Department of Mysteries, the Dark Lord was hell bent upon punishing him, so he had decided to indoctrinate me even though I was not of age. I did not try to resist the mark, even though I wanted to be neutral in the conflict, because I feared for my life, and more importantly for my mother's, as she was in the room with us. In an excruciatingly painful process, I was branded and told to await further orders." The words tumbled out of Draco's mouth, as though the truth was desperate to get free. Draco resisted cringing at the amount of detail he had let slip. 

"What were those further instructions, and how did you carry them out?" The prosecutor looked quizzical. 

"I was instructed to assassinate the Headmaster of Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore. I had a few attempts. First, I had Rosmerta at the Three Broomsticks deliver a cursed necklace to him under the Imperius curse, which failed. I then tried to have Slughorn give him poisoned mead, which also failed. I fixed the vanishing cabinet in Hogwarts that connected to a shop in Knockturn Alley, and led Death Eaters into Hogwarts at the end of my sixth year. While this lead to a lot of inadvertent injury due to Fenrir Greyback, my Aunt Bellatrix, and others, it did not lead to Dumbledore's demise directly. I was told to kill him on top of the Astronomy tower that night, but was unable to, so my Godfather, Severus Snape did it for me. After that, the Dark Lord tried to have me attend raids over the summer, but I did not quite have the stomach or skill for it, so he had me stay at the Manor with Snape and brew potions such as the Polyjuice potion and Veritaserum for his own torture tactics. In the time that I had off, he frequently had me entertain the sons and daughters of rich purebloods so he could convince them to join his cause. If they refused, he made me Imperius their children so they would change their minds. He had me witness multiple tortures and murders, including that of Charity Burbage, a Hogwarts professor, and made me torture them for his satisfaction at times. I also was in a way his butler in the Manor, bringing him food and drinks along with Wormtail. After the summer was up, he made me return to Hogwarts, where the Carrows made me their spy. I tortured non-compliant students upon their command." Draco felt sick to his stomach detailing his crimes, and thought that after all the word vomit, he may experience actual vomit in the middle of the courtroom. After a moment, he continued. "During my holiday, Potter and his trio were captured and brought to the Manor. I was asked to identify them by my father, and asked to bring the goblin Griphook to identify the sword of Gryffindor. Potter and his trio escaped however, along with the other prisoners in the Manor. During the war, I was asked to capture Potter and his friends along with Vincent Crabbe and Greggory Goyle."

"Did you believe in Voldemort's ideologies, and were you under the Imperius curse during any of the time at the Manor?"

"I believed in his ideas and in pureblood supremacy as a child... I am reevaluating now due to the war. The war was sickening, and I took no pleasure in his punishments of muggleborns and muggles. I was not under the Imperius during the majority of the time, but was put under it as punishment for my misdeeds, along with the Cruciatus curse."

The prosecutor turned towards the jury. "Mr. Malfoy may not have enjoyed partaking in the torture, but he was of legal age and willingly complied with You-Know-Who's commands. While there was some duress due to his mother, I still believe at least 30 years in Azkaban should be a minimum, due to all the uses of unforgivable curses, if not an entire lifetime." The jury mumbled in agreement and almost reached a verdict when the door burst open, and in rushed a panting Potter.

"Sorry! Sorry for the delay and for the interruption, but I was just at the trial of Narcissa Malfoy, providing testimony. I was a witness for parts of Draco's time at Hogwarts, and would like to testify on his behalf before you reach your verdict." Potter looked flushed from running so fast into there, but was rapidly becoming more pale. He immediately reached into his pocket and cast a strong Patronus, a stag galloping between him and the Dementors, shielding Draco as well and providing him with a hint of warmth and hope. Though he disliked admitting it, Potter looked good after the war. No longer the scrawny kid he knew at Hogwarts, Potter was actually quite handsome, with tanned skin and a decent build due to how active he was fighting the Dark Lord. The flush had given Potter a healthy complexion, and though his hair was still quite unruly, it suited his new look. His eyes flashed, as though daring the jury to oppose him, and Draco had never seen anything so intense..or green. He did not have on his glasses, Draco noticed with a start. As his words registered in Draco's brain, his heart began coursing, never dreaming of having anyone testifying in his favor. Anyone credible, at least. 

One of the jury members cleared his throat after a pregnant pause. "Proceed, Mr. Potter. However, let it be noted that we had received a verdict prior to your arrival, and that it will be very difficult to reverse it."

"Well.." Potter suddenly died off and Draco's spirits sank. Of course he had not prepared what to say beforehand, having just came from his mother's trial. He was still screwed. However, he was glad that his mother probably got a stellar testimony from Potter, as he could have prepared for hers, and he knew he was guilty, so he did not have too much riding on Potter anyway. Potter resumed speaking. "Well Malfoy has always followed in his father's footsteps during our time at Hogwarts. However, after our fifth year, things changed. Malfoy no longer had his father and was forced to think outside his father's viewpoints. As I have mentioned to the press, I had a connection into Voldemort's thoughts and by extension Death Eater actions, and saw before my sixth year that Narcissa had Snape take an Unbreakable Oath to protect Malfoy from Voldemort's wrath. Voldemort made Malfoy join the Death Eaters before he was of age, even though he would normally wait until people were of age, just to punish Lucius Malfoy after the Department of Mysteries. I believe Draco took the Mark to save himself and his mother from Voldemort. During our sixth year, Malfoy became pale and skinny and fragile, as his task took an immense toll on him. There was no way he was doing it willingly or enjoying it, as people like Bellatrix looked perfectly healthy throughout the war. Malfoy lost sleep, and while he made some errors in his attempt to assassinate Dumbledore, no one was permanently hurt. I once witnessed him crying in a bathroom.." Potter broke off, looking faintly guilty. Draco remembered that time in the bathroom when Potter cursed him, but couldn't even be mad at Potter because he deserved it. He wondered if Potter would bring up his attempt to Crucify him. 

"I witnessed him sobbing in a bathroom, distraught over the stress of the battle and the toll it took on him and his family. I do not believe that someone who genuinely believed in Voldemort's cause and enjoyed torturing muggleborns would feel so torn that they would take to crying in a girl's bathroom. While it's true that Malfoy led Death Eaters into Hogwarts, causing lasting damage to some of my peers and fellow order members, he did not personally inflict this damage, and he was unable to kill Dumbledore, because he is not a murderer. At the manor when I was kidnapped by Snatchers, he refused to give me up, even though he would have been greatly rewarded, and during the war he did not harm me. I flew him out of the Room of Requirement as it was consumed by a Fiendfyre cast by his friend, Vincent Crabbe, and he did not attempt to stun me or push me off my broom. His mother saved my life." Potter paused and looked at Draco contemplatively. He then turned to address the room.

"Do not mistake me, Malfoy was no hero in this war. He was at best a bystander, and at worst a pureblood sympathizer. However, any crimes he committed were under the threat of his and his mother's life, and he showed immense bravery to protect her. I am not sure that if I was in his position, I would have done anything differently. While his father was very guilty and pushed him and his mother into this situation, I see them both as innocents who were caught at the wrong place at the wrong time. I think Malfoy should face probation and parole for the damage towards Lavender Brown, Bill and Ron Weasley, Madame Rosmerta and others." 

The jury burst into feverous chatter while Potter stood at Draco's side, unwavering. The implication that he was a coward at best during the war stung, but it was true. However, Draco appreciated Potter's support in standing by his side, despite their history. Anxiety clawed at him the more time ticked on, until Potter looked down at him and gave him a faint, but reassuring smile. Draco was lost in the green of his eyes, unable to tear away his gaze from Potter. 'Perfect Potter, the true Savior and protector of them all' Draco though in annoyance. 

The bang of a gavel on the table jolted him out of his thoughts, and his heart beat at a disgusting rate, crawling into his throat. He awaited the jury's decision.


	2. Chapter 2

The head juror stood and focused his gaze on Potter. Draco felt frustrated that they would not even look at him in his own trial, but at least this way he would not be able to see the guilt in his eyes. 

"The jury has decided. Due to the testimony by Mr. Harry Potter, we have determined that Mr. Draco Malfoy is not guilty of being a willing Death Eater, and therefore cannot be convicted to the same severity as the other Death Eaters we have tried. However, as put so eloquently by Mr. Potter, Mr. Malfoy is a bystander at best, and at worst a Pureblood sympathizer who watched and at times participated in tortures, muders, and the use of unforgivable and other dark curses. Because of this, he shall be sentenced to house arrest over the summer with weekly check-ins with Ministry officials. He will be required to return to Hogwarts to rehabilitate himself into Wizarding society at the beginning of the new school year as an eighth year. At Hogwarts, he will be on a strict probation, and one toe out of line from Mr. Malfoy will result in a revisiting of this case. This trial is now adjourned." He banged his gavel once more, and the Dementors flew up into the ceiling, into God-knows-where. 

The room fizzled out slowly, with lots of chatter and displeased mutterings. The prosecutor looked furious and was gesturing wildly while talking to Potter. Draco sank into his chair a little bit more, ignoring the ache in his back, feeling consumed by fatigue. He only registered flashes of people leaving and talking, feeling delirious and in shock at what had happened. As he slipped a little out of consciousness, he felt immediately as though he had been shocked with electricity when Potter tapped him, looking sheepish. 

"Er..Hi Malfoy. I brought you a chocolate frog, because of all the Dementor exposure." He held it out as a peace offering and looked so earnest that Draco accepted it. He unwrapped it slowly, as his fingers had lost their feeling and bit into it. As a habit, he went to look at the card and saw Potter's face looking back at him, making the same expression as the Real Potter right next to him.

"Figures it would be you." He snorted, handing Potter back the card. Potter looked extremely embarrassed by that, and smiled nervously before turning to walk away.

"Wait! Potter." Draco let out a strangled noise and yelled at Potter to turn back. Potter turned around, looking like he would rather be anywhere but here, which. Relatable. Draco forced himself to gather what was left of his dignity, remembering the manners his mother had instilled into him as a child. "I would like to extend my gratitude for your testimony on mine and my mother's behalf. It is greatly appreciated, and should there be some way I can repay this debt, please do not hesitate to let me know."

Potter looked very irritated at this, his brows scrunching together and his eyes narrowing. Without his glasses, any eye movements of his were entirely too distracting, and with a faint feeling of horror, Draco tried not to look like he was ogling Potter in this tense situation. 

"Malfoy look. You don't owe me anything, I was just clearing up what I believe to be true. I just want a fresh start - no debts and no dumb traditions. Please don't act like some posh pureblood tosser, because I don't need the fake kiss ass behavior I get from everyone else from you as well." He sighed and softened. "Listen, we're going to be in Hogwarts together next year to retake our NEWTS. Can we just try to get along?" He extended his hand expectantly.

Getting deja vu from his first year, when he extended friendship to Potter and was rejected, Draco pursed his lips. Irrationally, he wanted to scorn Potter and never lay eyes on him again. But, remembering how his mother always used to remind him not to bite the hand that fed him, he decided to make amends. After all, he was an entirely different person from his first year self, the war changing him irreparably. While he had no interest in getting to be Potter's best friend (he internally shuddered as he imagined himself in one of those hideous Weasley jumpers during Christmas, a big D on his chest), it wouldn't hurt to not be Potter's arch-nemesis. After starting at Potter's outstretched hand for a few moments, waiting for him to yell "PSYCHE" and pull away, he slowly clasped Potter's hand. It was warm - especially in comparison to his freezing fingers, and Potter had a firm yet almost...resassuring grip. 

He looked into Potter's eyes once more, grey meeting green in a flash of agreement. "Friends," he said.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Let me know if you're liking this so far, and where you think this should be headed/other ideas or headcannons (this is pretty unplanned lol, I am just rlly bored). Uhhh, also I am trying to write as much as possible right now because I go through phases of no writing and phases of lots of writing (but I will try to keep this updated!)

\-- 1 week before the start of the school year --

The summer had been tirelessly eventful for Harry. He had testified at almost every trial, some in favor of the defendant, such as people who were Imperiused or had other extenuating circumstances, but majority against the defendants. He wanted to ensure that everyone who was hurt in the war would get their compensation and that there would be no Death Eaters left to harm muggleborns or muggles ever again. Alongside providing case altering testimony (while it was annoying that everyone was sucking up to him, it was helpful when he wanted to shift the outcomes of trials), he 'interned' with the aurors to catch remaining Death Eaters - intern being his official title until he could get his NEWTS and be able to join the auror force. In his free time, he attended charity galas and events to schmooze to rich wizards so that they would donate to the orphanage and other foundations to which he had anonymously created. The speeches and interviews were the worst part, but he tried to remind himself it was for a good cause.

While his mental health was mainly fine - his mind healer confirmed that by some miracle he had no PTSD or other illnesses - there were some days where he felt like his world was falling apart. The Colin Creevy trial, for example, was particularly heartbreaking, as he remembered Creevy had been underage and so innocent, yet so brave. On those days, he would turn to Ron and Hermione for support, and after a particularly scary breakdown, they moved in with him in Grimmauld Place over the summer, until there had been more time to heal. Ron and Hermione, and of course the all of the Weasleys, had been his family, and while he loved them with all his heart, he understood their need for privacy as a couple, and resolved to live on his own or with a roommate after his Hogwarts eighth year.

Aside from them, he had his godson, Teddy Lupin. Harry had begged Andromeda to let him take care of Teddy, but she had been insistent against it, and after a while he began to see her point. She had convinced him that a teenage boy should not have to take care of a child out of obligation to their parents, despite how much he may have loved them. She told him to go live his life and experience the things he should be at that age, and that he could still be close to Teddy in other ways. He saw Teddy very frequently, because he wanted Teddy to know he was there for him the same way Sirius had been. He knew Andromeda had also reconnected with her sister, Narcissa, after the war, and by extension had reconnected with Malfoy, but he had not crossed paths with Malfoy (he guessed that was intentional on Malfoy's part).

All in all, it was probably a good thing that he was not taking care of Teddy. He had no clue how to deal with children, and it gave him the opportunity to date around a little. Because he was unsure if people were hitting on him for himself or for his fame, he only dated people he knew really well and liked, or muggles. He had an on and off relationship with Charlie Weasley over the summer (much to Ron's chagrin, especially because he had also dated Ginny in his sixth year), but it was understood between them that there were no strings attached due to Charlie's job in Romania, and his going to school next year. During the "off" part of his relationship with Charlie, he went to muggle bars and clubs, and would have one-night stands (and occasionally longer relationships) with muggle women and men.

In the occasional, random moments of down time he would get (due to cancellations, or bad scheduling on his part), Harry would explore Grimmauld Place. It was always something he had intended to do, but after Sirius' death it was too painful to explore the home that Sirius had such as complicated outlook towards. Grimmauld Place was eerily empty and hollow, but Harry took the long hallways filled with countless rooms to be a sign of hope, as something he could fix. He did not have much time, but he resolved to renovate the house into something Sirius would have loved when he got the time. He would imagine and sketch out ideas for certain rooms and different design themes throughout the house.

Once, as he was searching the house for little things that made it less drab, that made it seem livable, he stumbled across a large room that seemed as though it hadn't been touched in years. Huge windows spanned almost the entire height of the walls, letting light peek into the room and making it seem more open than the rest of the house. Two of the walls were slightly curved, giving the room an slightly oval shape, and were painted a beige-ish tan shade that complimented the natural lighting of the room. The windows had sheer curtains that blended in with the color of the walls, and were drawn to the side with curtain holders. The floors were covered with reddish brown hardwood panels, and the walls had a few paintings that depicted nature in an impressionistic style. Going along with the theme of the artwork, the ceiling was painted with a mural reminiscent of the Sistine Chapel, and there was a stunning grand piano in in the middle of the room, with a crystal chandelier hanging above it.

The piano, though it was covered in dust, was in good shape, and a quick Scourgify revealed that it was a shiny black color with a matching bench. The piano was quite simple by itself, but upon it rested a hand-carved intricate music stand, showing the craftsmanship behind it. Harry ran a hand across the keys, feeling a dull ache in his heart. He wished more than anything that the Dursleys had enrolled him in lessons, or had taught him some skill to give him some depth to his life, and he yearned to learn to play. Harry wondered if Sirius or Regulus had ever learned (he could imagine Regulus being the perfect son with the perfect piano), and thought to himself that there were parts of the mansion that were so peaceful and good that even Sirius could have grown to love this house.

\-- 1 week before the start of the school year --

The summer had been excruciatingly boring for Draco. House arrest was literally the most useless punishment in the world. Draco would have much preferred community service, or something he could to do rebuild what he had destroyed so he could redeem himself (he cared less about the public eye, and more about redeeming himself so he could look in the mirror and feel like an actual person), but he couldn't complain too much because at least he was confined to a mansion the size of a small town.

After the Draco and his mother were declared innocent, despite being on probation, the Malfoy family was granted back the use of their assets. While this meant a hefty amount of Galleons due to the Malfoy and Black family's extensive Gringotts accounts, it also meant a lot of artwork and rare antiques (some of which was seized by the aurors for dark connotations) and a massive land portfolio, among other things. Of course, one of the most significant properties they regained control of had been the Manor, which was where he was required to spend all of his time (except for his ministry appointments). Narcissa had jumped into a renovation project, refusing to live under the reminder of the Dark Lord's presence. The remodeling made their old family home significantly more modern in its interior, which Draco thought was a nice look for it. His mother loved creating art as a hobby, and made the most beautiful pieces for their living and dining rooms, and after a while Draco took to it as well, but mainly made sketches in a journal.

In his free time (which was all the time), Draco would roam around the large manor gardens which had managed to survive the presence of the Dark Lord, and sketch out the flowers he saw. His father never approved of Narcissa's art, as it was done with sketching pencils and notebooks instead of the old fashioned quills and parchments, but that's what Draco loved so much about it. He found the muggle materials strangely freeing, almost as a way to rid himself of his father's influence. The gardens in the Manor were gorgeous, with large green hedges and pops of vibrant pinks and oranges. The hedges were designed to form patterns, modeled off of the palace of Versailles, as a wedding present to Narcissa to remind her of her childhood home back in France. One of Lucius' better qualities was his affinity with animals - the Manor gardens housed quite a few domesticated peacocks and doves, while the lakes had beautiful swans. Draco spent most of his time outdoors or in his room, as the Dark Lord and his followers had infiltrated a lot of the other main areas of the house.

Aside from the gardens, the estate extended for countless acres in Wiltshire and Draco would zoom around them in his broom. It kept him in shape and kept him sane, and cleared his mind from everything that stressed him out. He would pretend to be a normal teenager as he flew around the estate, remembering the times where Quidditch had pervaded every thought of his mind. Once, while the aurors were rummaging through Lucius' private quarters, they found a snitch that Draco had caught as a kid that Lucius kept out of pride. The head of the team that was pillaging his home handed it to Draco with pity in his eyes, an expression that Draco had wanted to slap off his face (as much as he agreed with them that the Dark shit should be out of his house). Draco used this snitch to practice, flying around the sloping hills and dodging trees in pursuit of it.

Another redeeming factor of his house arrest was the fact that he at least had his mother. She frequently requested him to play piano for her, and as he would do anything to keep her happy, he relearned some of his favorite songs for her. As he finished playing Debussy's Rêverie for her, to his faint horror he realized that her eyes were filled with tears.

"Draco, that was simply beautiful," Narcissa said as she dabbed at her eyes with a hand-embroidered handkerchief. "Would you play one more song for me, please?" Draco flipped a few pages in his book and decided to play Debussy's second Arabesque, which was slightly more upbeat, even though he had not mastered it yet. Hopefully this would not make her cry. As he ran through the song, he reached a patch of notes that he was slightly unsure of. As he went through it with slightly less confidence, his left arm suddenly twitched as a shoot of pain jolted through it, stemming from the curse scar of his Dark Mark. The result of this twitch was a discordant twang and a painful silence that followed. Narcissa looked concerned. "Draco, darling, are you alright?" She questioned in a motherly tone. "Yes, mother. I was simply unsure of the notes and made a nervous error... let me try again." Draco lied in order to not worry his mother. He resumed playing without another hitch.

Along with his mother, he also frequently was in the company of Blaise and Pansy, his only two friends from Slytherin left (except for Goyle, who had decided to transfer to Durmstrang to avoid future backlash). Once Pansy had found out he was gay, after the Yule ball in fourth year, she had lost all interest in him, which actually made their friendship stronger. On the days when it was just him and Pansy (though he also hung out in a group with her and Blaise, and occasionally the Greengrass girl that Pansy was fucking), they gossiped like little bitches over tea about everyone and everything. He liked the return to normalcy he got in her company - even though he had matured, he still got to keep a little bit of his teenager life.

But, on the days when it was just him and Blaise, things got _very entertaining_. It had started a little into the war - Blaise had been one of the people the Dark Lord made Draco talk to as he tried to get money from his mother, and since they were already friends from Hogwarts, Draco was comfortable pushing the limit a little bit. After the war, Blaise and him resumed their little friends with benefits relationship, even though Narcissa disapproved.

One morning, after a particularly steamy night, Draco woke up with his legs wrapped around Blaise's due to an annoying tapping noise. As he crawled out of bed, he noticed an owl impatiently rapping at his window (and immediately felt glad that he had put on his boxers before bed). He opened the window to the unfamiliar owl, which dropped a small package onto his desk and then flew off, as though it was in quite a hurry. Draco opened the package and found his old wand, much to his surprise, along with a short note.

 

_Malfoy,_

_I'm sorry I didn't return your wand to you sooner - I know it isn't any excuse, but I've been so busy this summer that it honestly slipped from my mind. But, after I repaired my broken wand, I know how good it feels to have your wand back, so I had to get this back to you. I'm sorry if you have already replaced your wand ~~but I think you haven't due to your house arrest.~~_

~~~~_Anyways, school starts in a week, which is nerve wracking. Or at least it is for me... I guess I'll see you there._

_-Harry_

 

Merlin, Potter's handwriting was truly quite atrocious. Maybe he should invest in a quick notes quill, or some calligraphy lessons for a long term solution. Draco felt a little jealous that Potter was so busy over the summer when he had basically nothing productive to do, despite his reputation being in the trash. He also felt a flash of irritation at the part referencing his house arrest, but at least Potter had the shame to try and scratch it out. 

A little scared that it would not respond to him, Draco attempted to cast a simple Lumos with his wand, and to his delight it worked with the same ease as when he had used it in Hogwarts. Maybe, he mused, the wand had never completely left his possession, as he secretly wanted Potter to defeat the Dark Lord, and probably would have done anything (that wouldn't have hurt his mother) to facilitate that happening.  

Well, that was good timing. He had been intending buying a new wand before school started, but was pushing it off due to his anxiety about going back to Hogwarts and facing the students that had fought in the war and lost friends or loved ones due to him. He knew he would be hated there and he wouldn't even return if he was not ordered to by the court. He wished he could have transferred to Durmstrang like Goyle, but he suspected that forcing he return to Hogwarts was the court's way of punishing him so that Potter would not notice and try to prevent it. Draco had been compartmentalizing thinking about his return to school, but Potter's letter and return of his wand made things all too real. At least Potter was feeling worried too..

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Are you ever just chilling and feeling fine or whatever and then unexpectedly ur just start feeling kind of hollow and your fingers struggle to type and its just this underlying sadness? And your brain is all foggy and you feel kind of gross and just tired and exhausted... because that's me right now (and like halfway through this chapter). Kind of dramatic but also just describing how I'm feeling but anyways the point is cut me some slack if the writing quality went down a little.
> 
> BUT anyways that was a long ass chapter so :) that's pretty cool. I really liked the piano descriptions because I play the piano in real life and I love writing about pianos and hopefully that becomes a central part of this piece (or at least that's the plan right now). Also I was trying to draw some parallelism between Draco's and Harry's lives, and IDK if anyone noticed this but I put impressionistic paintings in Harry's piano room and made Draco play Debussy songs (Debussy's style is influenced by impressionism!!)


	4. Chapter 4

Out of breath, Harry burst into platform nine and three quarters, his tie on loose and robes disheveled. He was running late because Charlie had decided to surprise him with a _very_ enthusiastic goodbye. Harry justified the lateness to himself by deciding that if he missed the train he could always borrow another flying car from Mr. Weasley. 

As he approached the train, Harry caught a glimpse of Teddy in Andromeda's arms and his heart immediately broke when he realized he had forgotten to say goodbye. He checked the time with a quick Tempus, and felt relieved to know he still had ten minutes before the train was set to depart. As he walked over the Teddy, he saw him 'talking' to a lanky blonde - Malfoy. 

"Teddy, I'll miss you, yes I will. I love you," Malfoy crooned at Teddy with a soft smile on his face. Teddy made gurgling noises at Malfoy and clutched his finger tightly in a little fist. Harry watched as Malfoy leaned down to give Teddy a kiss on the forehead and felt himself melt a little at how cute this little scene was. Wait, what. 

Trying to shake off the fact that he had just thought the words 'Malfoy' and 'cute' in the same sentence, Harry approached Andromeda and bid her farewell. After making promises to visit her and Teddy during their breaks, Harry walked briskly towards the train with Malfoy in tow. Harry noticed Malfoy's hands were shaking slightly as he put his bags on the baggage portion of his compartment, but decided to keep that observation to himself, taking the seat across Malfoy.

Malfoy's features briefly betrayed his surprise, before he schooled them into a nonchalant mask. "So Potter, how was your summer?"

"It was exhausting, I honestly feel burned out before school is even starting. Lots of speeches and useless pandering." Harry said, feeling a little guilty as he recalled Malfoy's house arrest. Speaking of which, though, how did Malfoy look so tanned and fit if he was confined to his house the entire summer? He had grown into his pointy features and they now suited him quite nicely, making him look elegant and smart and ...wow. Harry was not about to have a crush on Malfoy. But, Harry noted, he looked significantly better when he was stress-free, with no bags under his eyes and significantly healthier skin. He had gained weight as well, and though he was still very scrawny and pointy, there was a hint of muscle that made it extremely attractive.

"Ah. Honestly, the only good thing about an entire summer of house arrest and public disgrace is that no one wants to pander to me." He smirked, "I still got people to kiss my ass though." Was Malfoy making a  _sex joke?_   Harry stared at him for a second, baffled, and then let out a guffaw. Malfoy was kind of hilarious. 

Harry opened his mouth to give a snarky retort, something about Malfoy's ass being so pale it could blind someone, when the compartment door opened.

"There you are, darling!" Pansy Parkinson entered the area dramatically, wearing a scandalous, yet fancy dress, bold lipstick and long fingernails painted a deep red. She grabbed Draco's face and smooched his cheek loudly, somehow without leaving a lipstick stain. "Oh, and you have  _company."_   Her voice dripped with disdain. 

"Hello, Parkinson. How have you been." Harry asked, more out of obligation than genuine caring. 

The compartment door slid open once more, in a more subtle fashion, and in entered Blaise Zabini. He arched a brow upon seeing Harry. 

"Draco, I didn't know you secured yourself a new boy toy and replaced me." He eyed Harry and winked. "A hot one at that."  

Harry blushed a dark red, feeling suddenly very warm and awkward. He didn't know Malfoy was dating Zabini, but he certainly did not care, right? He realized he felt a trickle of jealousy and internally admonished himself, remembering what he had been doing with Charlie just about an hour ago. "I'm, er, gonna go."

Harry edged out of the cabin, but felt embarrassingly relieved when he heard Malfoy remind Zabini that they weren't exclusive before he closed the compartment door. He walked down the main area of the train, in search of his friends, his mind still absently thinking about Malfoy and Zabini and Malfoy's gorgeous tan that somehow preserved his paleness but gave him a healthy glow. 

Towards the end of the hallway, Harry found the compartment with all his friends and felt instantly happy to see them, all thoughts of Malfoy temporarily put aside. On one side of the compartment sat Ron and Hermione, who were looking disgustingly couple-y and in love, along with Dean and Ginny, who was understandably grumpy about Ron and Hermione. Even though he and Ginny had broken up after Harry's sixth year, Harry still appreciated how drop-dead gorgeous she was, with full lips, flaming long red hair and freckles splattered across the bridge of her nose. On the other side of the compartment sat Neville, who was also attractive with his recent glow up, Luna, who was wearing a serene smile, and Seamus, who was sitting across from Dean and staring at him with a smitten look. Harry sat next to Luna so he would be across from Hermione, and joined in the conversation.

"Hiya Harry! What took you so long? I was just telling everyone how Dean and I got together." Seamus said, his accent still very thick.

"Er... I got distracted." Harry blushed a little, thinking about Malfoy and Charlie, and feeling embarrassed for thinking about Malfoy and a little ashamed about his goodbye from Charlie with Ron and Ginny in the same area as him.

Seamus raised his eyebrows. "Anyways, as I was saying, I was so relieved to see Dean after the war and know that he was okay and unharmed, that I confessed my feelings towards him and told him that I loved him. I said it was okay if he was still hung up on Ginny and that I would get over it, but I still had to let him know how I felt - "

"And I told him that Gin and I were history. And that I loved him back of course. I thought about him all the time," Dean cut in, smiling at Ginny and then looking adoringly at Seamus.

Ron made a gagging sound and Neville pitched in, "Seriously Dean. You guys are worse than Ron and Hermione. And I didn't even think that was possible!" 

Ron's strangled noise of protest was disregarded as Seamus mumbled, "At least I did something about my crush, Neville," causing Neville to splutter indignantly and made half-hearted denials.

Seamus smirked a little. "So, Harry, you seeing anyone?" 

For some reason Harry did not want to think about, an image of Malfoy popped into his brain. Ignoring this, he painted on a little smirk and said, "No. Why, are you and Dean offering?"

Ron elbowed Harry's side. "Do you have to date anyone that can move?" He asked sardonically, giving Ginny a side glance. 

"Nah. Just any Weasley that can move." Ginny said, laughing. She winked at Harry so he would know there were no hard feelings. "Anyways, I'm starving. Anyone have any food?" 

Ron pulled out a handful of candy, and handed it to Ginny, who bit into a strawberry colored toffee. She instantly turned an alarming purple shade, as though she was choking, and then let out a disturbingly loud belch. 

"RONALD!" She yelled angrily. Unabashed, Ron grinned. "Hey, working with George over the summer has its benefits- a bunch of free Weasley Wizard Wheezes to prank people with!" 

Everyone laughed at this, but Harry felt a small pang of sadness. He missed Fred, and the loss was felt not only by the Weasley family, but also by his and George's new business. George had asked him if he wanted to join in over the summer because he was already a silent partner, but Harry had to decline due to all the events he had to attend, leading to Ron taking over for Fred. For the rest of the ride, the Gryffindor clan took turns daring each other to try the Wheezes, and at one point even pranked a group of their Ravenclaw friends who entered the compartment.


End file.
